North Dakota's rural hospitals and long-term care facilities lean on licensed practical nurses to keep frontline care running in towns of fewer than 5,000 people, where an LPN is often the only clinical staff on shift overnight. Staffing that reality depends on a training pipeline built differently than in most states.
Rather than a scatter of competing schools, North Dakota channels the bulk of its practical nursing seats through the Dakota Nursing Program, a single consortium spanning four community colleges under one shared curriculum and one collective exam pass-rate record.
That structure simplifies some choices for applicants but complicates others, since seat availability, clinical site assignment, and cost can still shift by campus location. Program quality here reads less like a ranking of rivals and more like an audit of one shared system's regional outposts.
North Dakota's Top-Ranked LPN Programs for 2027
North Dakota trains practical nurses through a four-college consortium and a handful of independent campus programs, and the five options below represent the state's strongest mix of affordability, completion and career momentum. Each entry covers the school's scale, its format, and the pathway it opens once you pass the NCLEX-PN.
How we ranked these
- Median graduate debt levels
- Net price after aid
- Graduate earnings where reported
- Program completion and graduation rates
- Program length and format
- College Scorecard graduate earnings — collegescorecard.ed.gov
- Internal program database
- Independent editorial research
- IPEDS institutional survey data from NCES covering graduation rates, retention rates and student-faculty ratios — nces.ed.gov
Dakota College at Bottineau
Dakota College at Bottineau anchors one corner of the four-college Dakota Nursing Program, and its practical nursing certificate is taught from Bottineau, Minot and Valley City. The school's overall graduation rate sits near 48 percent. The 11-month curriculum blends nursing fundamentals, pharmacology and clinical rotations across hospitals, clinics and long-term care settings, with small classes and personalized instruction. A Trinity Health LPN-to-ADN partnership gives graduates a visible next step, and the college publishes a resident tuition rate shared with several neighboring states, which keeps costs predictable for applicants crossing the border.
- 11-month certificate leading to NCLEX-PN eligibility
- Offered at Bottineau, Minot and Valley City
- Part of the four-college Dakota Nursing Program
- Small classes and personalized instruction
- Scholarships available for nursing students
- Application window runs December through March
- Trinity Health LPN and ADN partnership pathway
Licensed Practical or Vocational Nursing (LPN or LVN), Certificate or Diploma — On-Campus
Williston State College
Williston State College runs a fast-track practical nursing program built around 43 credits and a required summer term, with supervised clinicals at CHI St. Alexius and Bethel Lutheran. The school's overall graduation rate is roughly 42 percent. Admission depends on an in-person TEAS exam, a 2.5 GPA and prerequisite coursework in anatomy, physiology and pharmacology, and the certificate doubles as a 1+1 route into an associate degree in nursing. It is one of the four colleges in the collaborative Dakota Nursing Program consortium.
- 11-month program totaling 43 credit hours
- Summer term required
- TEAS entrance exam accepted in person only
- 2.5 GPA minimum plus prerequisite courses
- Clinicals at CHI St. Alexius and Bethel Lutheran
- 1+1 pathway to an Associate Degree in Nursing
- Prerequisites include A&P I, A&P II and Pharmacology
- Background check and drug screen required
Licensed Practical or Vocational Nursing (LPN or LVN), Certificate or Diploma — On-Campus
North Dakota State College of Science
North Dakota State College of Science offers a three-semester practical nursing diploma taught face to face in Wahpeton and Fargo. It holds continuing ACEN accreditation along with North Dakota Board of Nursing approval, and the school's overall graduation rate is about 55 percent. Admission is point-based and holistic, requiring CNA certification plus anatomy and physiology prerequisites, and a conditional-admission track exists for applicants still finishing those requirements. Graduates can move directly into RN study if they choose.
- Three-semester diploma taught face to face
- 42 total credit hours
- Continuing ACEN accreditation
- Approved by the North Dakota Board of Nursing
- CNA certification required for admission
- Point-based, holistic admission selection
- 2.0 GPA minimum
- Transfer into an RN program possible
Licensed Practical or Vocational Nursing (LPN or LVN), Certificate or Diploma — On-Campus
Bismarck State College
Bismarck State College is one of the four Dakota Nursing Program partner colleges, and its practical nursing certificate runs as a hybrid program at the Hettinger site. The school's overall graduation rate is about 47 percent. Theory is delivered over Interactive Video Network while clinical training happens at West River Health Services with an on-site instructor, so students learn inside a working medical facility. The small cohort, fall start and nine-month pathway into BSC's associate degree nursing program suit rural applicants who want to stay close to home.
- 11-month hybrid certificate based in Hettinger
- Theory delivered over Interactive Video Network
- Clinical training at West River Health Services
- Small cohort with an on-site instructor
- Fall start
- Reported 100 percent licensure pass rate
- Pathway to the BSC associate degree nursing program
Licensed Practical or Vocational Nursing (LPN or LVN), Certificate or Diploma — Hybrid
Valley City State University
Valley City State University offers its practical nurse certificate in partnership with Dakota College at Bottineau, giving students a small-campus experience backed by an established nursing curriculum. The school's overall graduation rate is about 53 percent. Admission requires a 2.50 cumulative GPA, a 2.75 program GPA, a TEAS score and current CPR certification. Cohorts stay small, and graduates leave prepared for long-term care, hospital and clinic roles.
- 11-month certificate offered with Dakota College at Bottineau
- 2.50 cumulative GPA and 2.75 program GPA required
- TEAS, ACT or TOEFL exam required
- Current CPR certification required
- Small cohorts with dedicated faculty support
- Prepares for long-term care, hospital and clinic roles
Licensed Practical or Vocational Nursing (LPN or LVN), Certificate or Diploma — On-Campus
Lowest-Cost LPN Programs in North Dakota
The net price figures below represent institution-wide averages after federal, state, and institutional financial aid, as reported to the U.S. Department of Education. Your actual out-of-pocket cost will depend on your individual aid package, residency status, and enrollment intensity. Beyond tuition, plan for additional expenses that every practical nursing student faces: uniforms and clinical equipment, background checks, drug screenings, textbook bundles, CPR certification, and the NCLEX-PN exam fee (currently $200) plus the North Dakota licensure application fee ($145). These extras can add several hundred to over a thousand dollars to your total cost of attendance. Scholarships such as the BCBSND Caring Foundation Health Profession Scholarship ($2,500, with 50 awards available for 2026) and smaller program-level awards through the Dakota Nursing Program can help offset these costs.
| School | City | In-State Tuition | Out-of-State Tuition | Net Price After Aid |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Williston State College | Williston | $6,114 | $6,114 | $5,932 |
| Dakota College at Bottineau | Bottineau | $5,388 | $6,294 | $10,039 |
| Bismarck State College | Bismarck | $5,247 | $7,331 | $10,270 |
| North Dakota State College of Science | Wahpeton | $5,974 | $6,973 | $11,261 |
| Valley City State University | Valley City | $8,580 | $13,544 | $11,890 |
Quickest Paths to an LPN Certificate in North Dakota
An LPN certificate is a full-time training program, one of the fastest LPN/LVN programs, that gets you into the workforce faster than a two-year associate degree. In North Dakota, that means roughly 11 months from orientation to pinning, not the 9-month sprint some searchers hope to find.
Why 11 Months Is the Realistic Floor
State law sets a minimum of one academic year for practical nursing training, and the Board of Nursing describes approved programs as typically 11 months long. Bismarck State College runs its practical nursing program on that same 11-month timeline. If you see a program advertising 9 months, treat it with skepticism. It is not a pathway currently approved in North Dakota.
Certificate vs. Associate-Degree Timelines
A certificate is built purely around practical nursing coursework and clinicals, which is why it compresses into 11 months. An associate-degree route toward RN licensure, often delivered through the best LPN to RN programs in North Dakota, carries general-education requirements on top of nursing content, stretching the timeline to two years or more. If speed to licensure is your priority, the certificate track is the faster route.
Cohort Timing and Schedule Flexibility
Dakota Nursing Program sites (Bismarck, Minot, Williston, and Devils Lake) admit one cohort per year, starting each fall. There is no summer or spring start built into that cycle, and no evening-only track for the full program, so your enrollment window is effectively once a year. Students needing more flexibility can look at part-time study, which stretches completion to 18 to 24 months. That trade-off, slower pace for a lighter weekly load, is the main lever available for adjusting your own timeline in North Dakota.
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Steps to Earning Your LPN License in North Dakota
North Dakota follows a straightforward licensing path overseen by the North Dakota Board of Nursing (NDBON). Because the state participates in the Nurse Licensure Compact (NLC), graduates who earn a North Dakota LPN license may practice in any other compact state without obtaining an additional license, as long as North Dakota remains their primary state of residence.
NCLEX-PN Pass Rates at Every North Dakota LPN School
The NCLEX-PN first-time pass rate is one of the clearest indicators of how well a program prepares graduates for practice. A rate at or above 90% is generally considered strong, while anything consistently below 80% warrants a closer look at curriculum quality and student support. For the fiscal year 2023 to 2024, every North Dakota LPN program met or exceeded the national average of roughly 89.65%, and most achieved a perfect 100%. That statewide performance reflects well on the quality of practical nursing education across the state, whether you are studying at a Dakota Nursing Program Consortium partner campus or at an independent program. Data is drawn from the North Dakota Board of Nursing Nursing Education Annual Report for fiscal year 2023 to 2024.
| School Name | Year | Candidates Tested | First-Time Pass Rate | National Average |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bismarck State College (DNPC Partner) | 2023-2024 | 33 | 100% | 89.65% |
| Dakota College at Bottineau (DNPC Partner) | 2023-2024 | 18 | 100% | 89.65% |
| Lake Region State College (DNPC Partner) | 2023-2024 | 30 | 100% | 89.65% |
| Williston State College (DNPC Partner) | 2023-2024 | 11 | 100% | 89.65% |
| Dickinson State University | 2023-2024 | 16 | 100% | 89.65% |
| North Dakota State College of Science (Combined AAS and Diploma) | 2023-2024 | 22 | 95.45% | 89.65% |
| Sitting Bull College | 2023-2024 | 2 | 100% | 89.65% |
What LPNs Earn Across North Dakota
North Dakota offers LPNs solid earning potential, especially when you factor in the state's below-average cost of living. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the statewide median annual wage for Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nurses sits at roughly $62,300, which compares favorably to the national LPN median of approximately $59,730. Because housing, groceries, and transportation in most North Dakota communities cost less than the U.S. average, that pay stretches further in real purchasing power than similar salaries in higher-cost states. BLS publishes detailed wage data for the Fargo, Bismarck, and Grand Forks metro areas; however, the most recent metro-level breakdowns for LPNs were not fully available at the time of publication. Readers can consult the OEWS tables from the Bureau of Labor Statistics for the latest local figures. The statewide snapshot below gives a reliable baseline for what you can expect.
| Wage Measure | Annual Salary |
|---|---|
| 25th Percentile | $58,290 |
| Median (50th Percentile) | $62,300 |
| Mean (Average) | $62,230 |
| 75th Percentile | $65,020 |
Can You Complete an LPN Program Online in North Dakota?
An online LPN program lets students complete classroom coursework, lectures, readings, and exams from home instead of sitting in a physical classroom every day. In North Dakota, no practical nursing program is fully online, but several have moved a meaningful share of their didactic instruction to remote formats.
Where Online Coursework Actually Shows Up
The clearest example is Lake Region State College's Mobility Track, where theory coursework is delivered online for students who still attend campus weekly for hands-on lab work and clinical practice. Dakota Nursing Program, the consortium serving satellite sites across the state, teaches nursing courses through video conferencing paired with face-to-face labs and clinicals. Bismarck State College uses interactive video network (IVN) classrooms with some course components online. West River Health Services in Hettinger runs a similar Hybrid LPN Programs setup: theory delivered via IVN, with hands-on clinical work supervised by an on-site instructor.1
Clinicals Always Happen in Person
Regardless of how flexible the lecture format gets, every ND practical nursing program requires supervised clinical hours in a real healthcare setting. There is no substitute for this. Programs place students at partner sites such as Trinity Health in Minot, Heart of America in Rugby, Mercy Hospital in Valley City, CHI St. Alexius, Bethel Lutheran, and long-term care facilities near satellite campuses. Placement is typically arranged by the program based on where a student is enrolled, and rotations expose students to acute care, long-term care, and community health settings.
What About Out-of-State Online Programs?
Students sometimes consider fully online LPN programs based outside North Dakota. Proceed carefully here: these programs still require in-person clinical hours, may not have placement partnerships in North Dakota, and their graduates must confirm the program is approved by the North Dakota Board of Nursing before enrolling. A program that looks convenient on paper can create real licensing headaches later.
LPN-to-RN Bridge Programs Available in North Dakota
Earning an RN credential no longer means starting a nursing education over from scratch, and North Dakota's LPN to RN Bridge Programs are built to recognize the clinical hours and coursework LPNs already hold.
Where to Find LPN-to-ADN Bridges
The primary route runs through the Dakota Nursing Program consortium, which offers an Advance Standing ADN (LPN to RN) track across four partner colleges: Bismarck State College, Dakota College at Bottineau, Lake Region State College, and Williston State College. North Dakota State College of Science also awards a Registered Nursing (LPN to RN) AAS degree for graduates of a Board of Nursing approved practical nursing program. Trinity Health operates an employer-specific pathway through Dakota College at Bottineau that is open only to current Trinity Health employees; that track runs two semesters.
How Much Time You Save
Depending on prerequisites already completed and whether you attend full time, most LPN-to-ADN bridge students finish in roughly 12 to 18 months. Compare that to the two-year timeline a first-time ADN student faces, and you could shave nearly a full year off the process. No LPN-to-BSN program based entirely in North Dakota has been confirmed for 2026, though out-of-state or online LPN Bridge Programs may fill that gap for nurses pursuing a bachelor's degree.
Admission Essentials and Scheduling
Consortium applicants need an active, unencumbered U.S. LPN license, current CPR/BLS certification, a passing score on the ATI Comprehensive PN Predictor, and a cleared background check. Applications open December 1 and close March 5, so planning ahead matters. Note that some sites, including Bismarck State College's Bismarck campus, have already closed admission for Fall 2026.
Career and Salary Impact
Advancing from LPN to RN in North Dakota typically brings a significant salary increase and expands access to supervisory roles, specialty units, and broader scope of practice, making the bridge investment well worth the effort for working nurses ready to move up.
North Dakota LPN Licensure: Compact State Status, Renewal, and CE
North Dakota's membership in the Nurse Licensure Compact is the single biggest licensing advantage an LPN here holds over nurses trained in non-compact states.
Multistate Practice Under the Compact
Because North Dakota is a full NLC member, a multistate license issued here lets you practice in person or via telehealth in any other compact state without applying for or paying for a separate license. That matters if you live near the South Dakota or Minnesota border, travel for agency work, or simply want the flexibility to relocate later without redoing LPN/LVN Reciprocity paperwork.
Renewal Cycle and Continuing Education
ND LPN licenses renew on a set cycle with an associated renewal fee, and the North Dakota Board of Nursing (NDBON) requires a minimum number of continuing education contact hours each cycle to keep the license active. Some of those LPN Continuing Education Units must cover specific competency topics the board designates. Fee amounts and hour totals change periodically, so check the NDBON licensing portal before your renewal window opens rather than relying on older figures.
Who Governs Licensure
The NDBON is the sole authority for issuing, renewing, and disciplining LPN licenses in the state. It handles initial licensure by examination or endorsement, multistate license verification, and CE audits. Applications, renewal reminders, and the official CE provider list all run through the board's site rather than through individual schools.
What's Changed Recently
Heading into the 2026 renewal cycles, NDBON has continued tightening electronic verification of CE completion and has updated guidance around compact license eligibility criteria, so double-check your status even if you renewed without issue in prior years.
North Dakota LPNs who bridge into RN roles often see their earning potential climb substantially, making the LPN credential less a ceiling and more a launching point.
